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House Plants Interesting Tidbits

Logee's Tropical Nursery!

I love exploring nurseries when I travel, and  my trip to New York City via Connecticut was a true delight.  Opened in 1892 in Danielson, Connecticut, Logee’s has been in continuous operation by the Logee family ever since.  You can read about this fabulous place here: Logee’s

    

This large tropical nursery, around an entire city block entirely under glass, is in a small old country town.  They specialize in mail order sales, but are open to the public.

I was fascinated by the Connecticut architecture and landscape, like this abandoned factory across the street,

  

And these apartment houses down the block
  

 

The outside entrance doesn’t look like a door to a rainforest, but MMMMM smell the warm air rushing up those stairs into the shop
 

I spent several hours winding through the various greenhouses, it was heavenly

  

This Ponderosa Lemon tree was planted in 1900 and still bears many many lemons.  It is about 40 feet around, hard to convey in the photo.  I walked under its limbs without bending over.

  

Some of the greenhouses were conservatory gardens
  

Bananas in Connecticut, Hooray!

  

Coffee beans, oh yeah!
  

I wanted two of everything but since I was far from home, I had to settle for babies and miniatures, shipped to meet me in Memphis 
  

My shipment came in, all wrapped in damp paper.  My heart went out to all these little travelers as I unpacked them, and thanked them for coming all this way to live with me.
  

Some made it easier than others.  This precious little begonia is pretty bedraggled, but I think he will perk up nicely.

     

A few of the baby tropical vines and miniature rainforest begonias getting a drink and misted after unpacking
  

 

Sensitive plants

   

They may be small now, but a good repotting, some fresh air and sunlight for a few months and boy, howdy, look out!  

Categories
Interesting Tidbits

Jewel Orchid Joyous February Bloomer

I know, it’s March 1, but this beauty has been blooming since early February and still going gangbusters.  It blooms once a year, always early February.

The blooms last a month or more.  No scent that I’ve noticed.

The show starts in December as the buds begin to develop, growing plump and elongating as the weeks pass until one morning, poof, the first flower has unfurled.

Unlike the epiphytes more commonly seen in stores everywhere, this is a terrestrial.  I found it as a two or three inch baby by itself in a display of succulents in a nursery down in Kenner, Louisiana, and knew it was special. Kind of gangly, pink veined purple leaves, what’s not to love?

Have a great March, Spring is busting out all over, hooray!

Peace and Love – Nancy

Categories
Interesting Tidbits Sales and Open House Events Tillandandsias a/k/a Air Plants

Air Plant Farmer at Arkansas Flower and Garden Show Feb 26-28, 2016

If you are in the Little Rock area this weekend, don’t miss the opportunity to meet a true character in the plant world, my friend Michael Seal, who has a large variety of tillandsias, commonly known as air plants, and other bromeliads for sale.  He imports and grows these fascinating plants in southern Mississippi at his nursery, The Funny Farm.  You can buy individual plants, or air plant arrangements on wood, stone, or even hanging air plant mobiles!

The show is at the Statehouse Convention Center, 101 East Markham, in Little Rock. For more info go to Arkansas Garden Show. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to buy the healthiest tillandsias you will ever see, with a wide variety to choose from, at direct from the grower prices.  Michael can tell you the tips and tricks for keeping these little fellows happy and healthy, so head over to the show this weekend and tell him the Memphis Plant Lady told you to say Hey!

Here are a few of the many beautiful tillies you will see at The Funny Farm:
   
    
   

Categories
Large Custom Projects

Sara Beth’s New Green Mansion

Sara Beth bought a Wardian case while visiting in St. Louis, and brought it by to see if I could plant it for her.

  I’ve looked at these miniature ornamental iron and glass contraptions many times, but never planted one as they are for some reason designed more for showing with artificial plants (ack!) than actually for planting.  The glass panes were not sealed, and the metal tray in the bottom rattled around unsecured, with a gap between the sides of the tray and frame.  I got my good friend Donn to seal it all very neatly with aquarium safe silicone sealer, then headed East to plant the little guy.


Sara Beth has a perfect little nook for the terrarium, with a large south facing window and plantation shutters to filter the brighter beams


So I gathered my rocks, gravel, activated carbon, sphagnum moss and, of course,

 My special terrarium soil mix.  I like to mix soil in this enamel washpan my friend, Alisa, gave me years ago.


I propagate most of my plants in little mini greenhouses like this box of espicia, peacock fern, and ficus pumila.

 I like using selaginella in terries, and this variety grows tall enough to fill the tall case.   Two little fittonia huddle in the corner.


It wil take a few months for everyone to settle and start really filling the space,  but I think it turned out pretty nice.

Two kinds of hemographis reptans, peacock fern, selaginella cypress moss, espicia, ficus pumila, feather moss

I think they will be very happy together for many years to come.

One main reason I am in this business is to share the joy of living with plants.  Please send me a note if you want to learn more, or to set up a consultation to get your own Green Mansion.

Peace and love – Nancy

 

Green Mansions Memphis|Living Art Terrariums

LIVING ART TERRARIUMS

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